St. Winifred's; or, The World of School

by F. W. Farrar

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

  THE MONITORS.

  In the teeth of clenched antagonisms.

  Tennyson.

  The meeting over, Henderson, who had not seen Walter since the morning,flew up to the sickroom to tell him the news, which he was sure wouldspecially interest him. As he entered, the same spectacle was beforehim which Power had already seen--little Eden restless, and sometimeswandering--Walter seated silently by the bed watching him, his legscrossed, and his hands clasped over one knee. The curtains were drawnto exclude the glare. Walter could read but little, for his eyes wereweak after the fight; but his thoughts and his nursing of his littlefriend kept him occupied. Henderson, fresh from the excitement of themeeting, was struck with the deep contrast presented by this painfullyquiet scene.

  He was advancing eagerly, but Walter rose with his finger on his lip,and spoke to him in a whisper, for Eden had just dropped off to sleep.

  Henderson shook him warmly by the hand, and whispered--"I've such lotsto tell you;" and, sitting down by Walter, he gave him an account ofwhat had just taken place. "You should have heard Power, Walter; uponmy word he spoke like an orator, and regularly bowled the Harpour lotoff their legs. It's splendid to see him coming out so in the school--isn't it?"

  "It is indeed; and thanks to you, too, Flip, for sticking up for me."

  "Oh, what I did was nothing. But only fancy that fellow Kenrickfighting against us like this, and giving his casting vote againstHarpour's being thrashed! You've no idea, Walter, how that fellow'schanged."

  He was interrupted, for Eden woke with a short scream, and, starting upin bed, looked round with a scared expression, shuddering and moaning ashe fell back again on his pillow.

  "Oh, don't, don't, don't frighten me," he said appealingly, while theperspiration burst out over his pale face; "please, Harpour, _please_don't. Oh, Walter, Walter, _do_ help me."

  "Hush, my poor, little fellow, I'm here," said Walter tenderly, as hesmoothed his pillow; "don't be afraid, Arty, you're quite safe, and I'mstaying with you. They only put on masks to frighten you; it wasnothing but that."

  Bending over the bed, he talked to him in a gentle, soothing voice, andtried to make him feel at ease, while the child flung both his armsround his neck, sobbing, and still clung tight to his hand when Walterhad succeeded in allaying the sudden paroxysm of terror.

  Henderson, deeply touched, had looked on with glistening eyes. "Howkind you are, Walter," he said, taking his other hand, andaffectionately pressing it. "I should just like to have Kenrick here,and show him what his new friends have done."

  "Don't be indignant against him, Flip. I wish, indeed, he would butcome into this room, and make it up with us, and be what he once was.But he did not even take the slightest notice of the letter I wrote him,entreating him to overlook any fault I had been guilty of, howeverunconsciously. I never meant to wrong him, and I love him as much asever."

  "Love him!" said Henderson, "_I_ don't; his new line isn't half to myfancy. He must be jolly miserable, that's one comfort."

  "Hush! he _was_ our friend, Flip, remember; indeed, _I_ feel as a friendto him still, whatever his feelings are for _me_. But why do you thinkhe must be miserable?"

  "Because you can see in his face and manner, that all the while he knowshe's in the wrong, and is thoroughly ashamed at bottom."

  "Well, let's hope he'll come round again all the sooner. Have youbroken with him, then?"

  "Well, nearly. We are barely civil to each other, that's all, and Idon't suppose we shall be even that now: for I pitched into him to-dayat the meeting."

  Walter only sighed, and just then Power stole into the room.

  "Hallo!" he said, "Flip, I believe you and I shall kill the invalidsbetween us. I just met Dr Keith on the stairs, and he only gave meleave to come for five minutes, for he says they both need quiet. You,I suspect, Master Flip, took French leave."

  "I like that," said Henderson, laughing, "considering that this is your_second_ visit, and only my first. I've been telling Walter about themeeting."

  "The credit--if there is any--is yours, Flip; you broke the ice, andshowed the Harpourites that they weren't going to carry it all their ownway, as they fancied."

  "I'm so glad you came out strong, Power," said Walter; "Flip says youtook them all by storm."

  "That's Flip's humbug," said Power; "but," he whispered, "if I did anygood, it's all through you, Walter."

  "How do you mean?"

  "Why, first of all, I wasn't going to hear animals like Mackworth abuseyou; and next, but for you I should have continued my old selfish way ofkeeping aloof from all school concerns. It cost me an effort to conquermy shyness, but I remembered our old talk on Appenfell, Walter."

  Walter smiled gratefully, and Power continued, "But I've come to tellyou both a bit of news."

  "What's that?" they asked eagerly.

  "Why, there's a notice on the board, signed by Somers, to say that `Allthe school are requested to stay in their places after the master hasleft the room at two o'clock calling-over.'"

  "Whew! what a row we shall have!" said Henderson.

  "How I wish I were well enough to be out now," said Walter. "I hate tobe shut up while all this is going on."

  "Poor fellow, with _that_ face?" said Power. "No; you must be contentto wait and get well."

  "It isn't the face that keeps me in, Power; it's the bang on the head,Keith says."

  "Yes, and Keith says that he doesn't know when you _will_ be well ifthese young chatterboxes stay with you," said the good-humoured doctor,entering at the moment. "Vanish both of you!"

  The boys smiled and bade Walter good-bye, as they wished him speedyrelief from Dr Keith's prison. "And when do you think poor little Edenmay come and sit in my study again?" asked Power. "I miss him verymuch."

  "You mustn't think of that for a long time," answered the doctor.

  "How about this two o'clock affair?" said Henderson, as they left theroom.

  "Upon my word I don't know. Sit next to me, Flip, in case of a row."

  "Are the monitors strong enough, do you think?"

  "We shall see."

  The school was in a fever of excitement and curiosity. At dinner-timenothing else was talked of by the lower boys, but the upper forms kept adignified silence.

  Two o'clock came. The names of all the school were called over, andamid perfect silence the master of the week left the hall. Then Somersstood up in the dais and said--

  "Is Harpour here?--the rest please to keep their places."

  "I'm here--what do you want of _me_?" said Harpour sulkily, as he stoodup in his place.

  "First of all, I want to tell you before the whole school that you havebeen behaving in the most shamefully cruel and blackguard way, and in away that has produced disastrous consequences to one of the littlefellows. A big fellow like you ought to be _thoroughly_ ashamed of suchconduct. If you were capable of a blush you ought to blush for it. Itis our duty as monitors, and my duty as Head of the school, to punishyou for this conduct, as Dr Lane has left it in our hands; and I amgoing to cane you for it. Stand out."

  "I won't. I'll see you damned first."

  A sensation ran through the school at this open defiance; but Somers,quite unmoved, repeated--

  "I take no notice of your words further than to tell you that if youswear again you will have an additional punishment; but once again Itell you to stand out."

  Harpour quailed a little at his firm tone, and at the total absence ofall support from his followers; but he again flatly refused to standout.

  "Very well," said Somers; "you have already defied the authority of onemonitor, and that is an aggravation of your original offence. I shouldhave been glad to have avoided a scene, but if your common sense doesn'tmake you bear the punishment coolly, you shall bear it by force. Willyou stand out?--no?--then you shall be made. Fetch him here, some one,"he said, turning to the sixth-form.

  The second monitor, Danvers, quie
tly seized Harpour's right arm, andMacon, one of the biggest fellows in the fifth-form, of his own accordgot up and seized the other, Harpour's heart sank at this, for Danversand the other were with him in the cricket eleven, and he was not asstrong as either of them singly.

  "Now mark," said Somers; "caned you _shall_ be, to redeem the characterof the school; but unless you take it without being _made_ to take it,your name shall also be immediately struck off the school list, and youshall leave Saint Winifred's this evening. You'll be no great loss, Itake it. So much I may tell you as a proof that the Headmaster has left_us_ to vindicate the name of Saint Winifred's."

  Seeing that resistance was useless, Harpour accordingly stood out in thecentre of the room, but not until he had cast an inquiring look amongthose who embraced his side; and these, who, as we have seen, weretolerably numerous, all looked at Kenrick that he might give some hintas to what they should do. Thus appealed to, Kenrick rose and said--

  "I protest against this caning."

  "You!" said Somers, turning contemptuously in that direction; "who areyou?"

  The general titter which these words caused made Kenrick furious, and hecried out angrily--

  "It is against the opinion of the majority of the school."

  "We shall see," said Somers, with stinging _sang froid_; "meanwhile, youmay sit down, and let the majority of the school speak for themselves,otherwise you may be requested to occupy a still more prominentposition. I shall have something to say to _you_ presently."

  "Let's rescue him," said Kenrick, springing forward, and several fellowsstirred in answer to the appeal; but Macon, seizing hold of Tracy withone arm, and Mackworth with the other, thrust them both down on thefloor, and Danvers, catching hold of Kenrick, swung him over the form,and pinned him there. The general laugh with which this proceeding wasreceived showed that only a small handful of the school were reallyopposed to the monitors, and that most boys thoroughly concurred withthem, and held them to be in the right. So Macon quietly boxed Jones'sears, since Jones was making a noise, and then told him and the othersthat they might return to their places.

  Crimsoned all over with shame and anger, Kenrick sat down, and Somersproceeded to administer to Harpour a most severe caning. That worthyquite meant to stretch to the utmost his powers of endurance, and madeseveral scornful remarks after each of the first blows. But Somers hadno intention to let him off too easily; each sneer was followed by aharder cut, and the remarks were very soon followed by a silent butsignificant wince. It was not until a writhe had been succeeded by asob, and a sob by a howl, that Somers said to him--

  "Now you may go."

  And Harpour did go to his seat, in an agony of mingled pain and shame.He had boasted repeatedly that he would never take a thrashing fromanyone; but he _had_ taken it, and succumbed to it, and that too in thepresence of the whole school. He was tremendously ashamed; he neverforgot the scene, and determined never to lose an opportunity ofrevenging it.

  The school felt it to be an act of simple justice, and that thepunishment was richly deserved. They looked on in stern silence, andthose lower boys who had in the morning determined to interfere, gazedwith some discomfiture upon their champion's fall.

  "And now, Master Kenrick, _you_ stand here--what, no!--Stand here, sir."

  Kenrick only glared defiance.

  "Danvers, hand him here;" but Danvers stepped up to Somers andwhispered, "Don't be too sharp on him, Somers, or you'll drive him todespair. Remember he's high in the fifth, and has been a distinguishedfellow. Don't make too much of this one escapade."

  "All right. Thanks, Danvers," said Somers; and added aloud, in a lesssarcastic tone--"Come here, Kenrick; I merely wish to speak a word withyou;" and then Danvers kindly but firmly took the boy's hand, and ledhim forward.

  "You said the majority of the school denied our right to interfere."

  No answer.

  "Do you consider yourself in person to be the majority of the school,pray?"

  No answer.

  "We are all perfectly aware, sir, of your meeting, and of your preciouscasting vote. But you must be informed that a rabble of shell andfourth-form boys do not constitute the school in any sense of the word.And understand too, that even if the majority of the school _had_ beenagainst us, we monitors are not quite so ignorant of our solemn duty asto make that any reason for letting a brutal and cowardly act ofbullying go unpunished. You have been very silly, Kenrick, and havebeen just misled by conceit. Yes, you may look angry; but you know meof old; you've never received anything but kindness at my hands sincethe day you were my fag, and I tell you again that you've just beenmisled by conceit. Think rather less of yourself, my good fellow. Youought to have known better. Your friend Power has shown you aninfinitely more sensible example. _You_ may sit down, sir, with thiswarning; and, in the name of the monitors, I beg to thank the otherfellows, especially Evson and Henderson, who did their best to protectlittle Eden. They behaved like thorough gentlemen, and it would be wellif more of you younger boys were equally alive to the true honour of theschool."

  "I wish he'd be more conciliatory," whispered Dimock to Danvers; "he'splucky and firm, but so very dictatorial and unpersuasive. Besides,he's forgotten to thank Power."

  "Yes," said Danvers, "his tone spoils all. Somers," he said, "you'veomitted to mention Power, and the fellows will be gone in a minute."

  "I've been talking so much, you say it."

  "Not I; I'm no speaker. Here, Dimock will."

  "Ay, that'll do. One minute more, please," called Somers, raising hishand to the boys, who, during this rapidly whispered conversation, werebeginning to leave their places.

  "Somers wishes me to add," said Dimock, "that all the monitors and manyof the sixth and fifth forms wish to express our best thanks to Powerfor the exceedingly honourable and fearless way in which he this morningmaintained the rights and duties which belong to us. You youngerfellows know very well that we monitors extremely dislike to interfere,that we do so only on the rarest occasions, and that we are always mostanxious to avoid caning. You know that we never resort to it unless weare obliged to do so by the most flagrant offences, which wouldotherwise sap the honour and character of the school. Let us all beunited and work together for the good of Saint Winifred's. Don't letany interested parties lead you to believe that we either do or wish totyrannise. Our authority is for your high and direct advantage; Iappeal to you whether you do not know it?"

  "Yes, yes, Dimock," answered many voices; and before they streamed outof the ball, they gave "three cheers for the monitors," which were soheartily responded to, that the hissing of Harpour, Kenrick, and others,only raised a laugh, which filled to the very brim the bitter cup ofhate and indignation which Kenrick had been forced that day to drink.To be addressed like that before the whole school--snubbed, reproved,threatened--it was intolerable; that he, Kenrick, high in the school,brilliant, promising, successful, accustomed only to flattery andpraise, should be publicly set down among a rabble of lower boys--itmade him mad to think of it.

  "A nice tell-tale mess you've made of this business, Power," he saidsavagely, the red spot still lingering on his cheek, as he confrontedhis former friend; "I hope you're ashamed of yourself."

  "I, Ken? no."

  "Then you ought to be."

  "Honestly, Ken, who ought to be most ashamed--you, the advocate ofHarpour and his set, or I, who merely defended my best friend forbehaving most honourably--as he always does?"

  "_Always_?" sneered Kenrick.

  Power turned on him his clear bright eye, and said nothing for a moment;but then he laid his arm across his shoulder in the old familiar manner,and said, "You are not happy now, Ken, as you used to be."

  "Why the devil not?"

  Power shook his head. "Because your heart is nobler than your acts;your nature truer than your conduct; and _that_ is and will be yourpunishment. Why do you nurse this bad feeling till it has so masteredyou?"

  Kenrick stood still, his cheeks
flushed, his eyes downcast; and Power,as he turned away, sadly repeated, half to himself the wonderful verse--

  "Virtutem _videant, intabescantque relicta_."

  Kenrick understood it; it came to his heart like an arrow, and rankledthere; it made a wound, the faithful wound of a friend, better than thekisses of an enemy--but the time of healing was far-off yet.